Carter



H. CARTER GAME Filed Sept. 9, 1957 INVENTOR. HAROLD QIRTER Patented Aug. 11, 1959 2,899,206 GAME Harold Carter, Melvindale, Mich. Application September 9, 1957, Serial N 0. 682,894 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-120) This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to a game for children and adults.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an animated game which offers a challenge to both chance and skill in which each of two players attempts to attain a higher score than the other.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game of the above type in which the final score is not determined until the end of the game, at which time the position of each of the score indicating members may be visually observed by both players at the same time so that the scoring of the game is not known to either of the players during the progress of the match.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a game bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a game made in accordance with the present invention, with parts broken away to show details of construction;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing certain operating parts of the present invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a game made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a cubical housing 12 having a vertical wall member 14 at one side thereof. This wall member 14 is provided with a plurality of holes and channels that communicate with each other and direct the moving parts of the game into scoring positions. A primary pair of downwardly and inwardly converging channels 16a, b intersect at a central location to define a pocket 18 that has a closure member 19 which may be operated from either side of the housing 12 by the opposing players by means of push rods 20a, b. Vertically extending bores 22a, b overlie these primary channels 16a, b, each of these holes releasably supporting a ball 25 therein of a predetermined color or color combination. A plunger member 26 having a bail member 28 at its inner end extends transversely across the housing 12 into communication with each one of the holes 22a, b. A spring 27 normally urges the plunger 26 in an outward direction, in which position the bail member 28 blocks the downward movement of the ball 25, whereupon inward movement of the plunger 26 against the action of the spring 27 is operative to displace the bail member to an adjusted position 28a, so as to permit the associated ball 25 to fall downwardly into the primary channel 16a, b at the respective side of the housing. A pair of downwardly and outwardly diverging secondary channels 29a, b extend from the pocket 18 to separate side pockets 3011, b, which pockets are controlled by push rods 31a, b at the opposite playing sides of the device. A pair of third channels 3211, b extend downwardly and inwardly toward a second center pocket 33 which is controlled by push rods 34a, b. Fourth channels 36a, b extend downwardly and outwardly from the second center pocket 33 and terminate in second side pockets 37a, b which are controlled by similar push rods 38a, b. Fifth channels 39a, b extend downwardly and inwardly toward a third center pocket 40 which is controlled by associated push rods 41a, b. Finally, a pair of final score grooves 43a, b are in communication with the third center pocket 40 for receiving the balls 25 from either side of the unit.

In playing the game, the balls are released by depressing the plunger 26 associated with each one of the holes 22a, b. The first player on the left side releases the button and after the ball released thereby has become arrested in one of the pockets or in the final score channel, the other player from the right releases a ball, in turn. Each player tries to control the pockets through the use of the respective plungers so as to trap the falling balls in one of the pockets and thus impede its travel downwardly to the final score channel. The score of each ball is not known to either of the players until the game has been concluded, at which time the hingedly mounted doors 45, 46, 47, on the outside of the vertical wall 14 are rotated to a raised position 45a, 46a, 47a, to reveal the position of each of the ball members in the pockets and the final score channel 43a, b. These doors also facilitate the removal of the balls from the respective pockets and channels for the next play in a simple and eflicient manner.

It will be recognized that all of the balls may be of different or similar colors, whereby different score bonuses may be attached thereto. Similarly, each of the pockets and final score channels may be awarded different scores depending upon the difiiculty in reaching each of those positions. Therefore, without going into detail insofar as the particular coloring and scoring arrangement which may be used, it will be evident that various types of competition and scoring arrangements can be allocated, as may be desired to suit the particular playing rules of the game.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A game comprising, in combination, a housing including a vertical wall member, said vertical wall member defining a pair of downwardly and inwardly converging primary channels, a plurality of vertical bores overlying each of said channels, a ball member rollably supported within each one of said bores, means for releasably supporting each of said ball members in spaced relationship above said respective primary channels, a center pocket at the point of intersection of said primary channels, a gate in said center pocket, means at each side of said housing independently controlling said gate, a pair of outwardly diverging channels extending downwardly from said center pocket, a side pocket at the outermost extremity of each of said outwardly diverging channels, a gate in each of said side pockets, means at each side of said housing independently controlling said side pocket gates, a pair of final score channels beneath said pockets for receiving all of said balls to indicate the score of each player, and manually operable cover means for selectively covering all of said pockets and said channels, removal of said cover means providing access to said pockets and channels to tabulate the score of all of said balls in said pockets and said channels and to permit the removal thereof for the next game.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 428,985 Wilkening May 27, 1890 675,478 Harkrider June 4, 1901 938,179 Tanner Oct. 28, 1909 2,571,521 Barnhart Oct, 16, 1951 

